Vapor electric device.



P. C. HEWITT.

VAPOR ELECTRIC DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 1905.

1,064,687., v Patented June 10, 1913.

figg. 1.

PETER COOPER HEWITT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE'ASSIGNMENTS,

T0 COOPER HEWITT ELECTRIC COMPANY, 0F HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORA- TTON OF NEW JERSEY.

VAPOR ELECTRIC DEVICE.

Original application filed March 23, 1901, Serial No. 52,488. Divided and this application filed May 1,

1905. Serial No. 258,149.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER COOPER Hnwrr'r, a citizen of the United States, and resident of New York, county of New York, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vapor Electric Devices, `of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of electric apparatus in which the conducting medium is a vapor or gas. The apparatus may be used as a lamp or source of light or for various other purposes. In certain patents issued to me on the 17th day of September, 1901, for example, United States Patent-s numbered 682,690 and 682,695, I have described .various forms of vapor or gas electric apparatus, and the present invention relates more particularly to means for `conveniently starting and operating lamps or other gas or vaporelectric apparatus in which the phenomena at the negative electrode 'constitute an`important part of the resistance to starting.

I have found that in an apparatus having a vapor or gas path intervening between the negative and positive electrodes, under certain conditions of purity, there is an apparent reluctance on the part of the current to enter the negative electrode. `I

have further found that t-hevl tendencyof .i

the current is toassume a path..- between the positive .electrode and that portion of thel negative electrode which is remote therefrom. For instance, in a tube of considerable length constituting the inclosing chamber of the apparatus, if a conducting jrod constituting an extension ofl the negative electrode be extended through a-considerable portion of the length of the tube, the current, will enter the negative electrode gat a point, generally speaking, as remote as possible from the positive electrode, instead of traversing the extended conductor. The exact explanation of this phenomenon is not essential to a description off my invention.- made, however", I believe thatf it is proven beyond reasonable doubt that the current tends to remain in the vapori-.path as long as possible before entering-the negative electro e.

From experiments which I have For the purpose of starting the apparatus, I sometimes employ some special means for overcoming the initial reluctance of the current to traverse the space immediately surrounding the negative electrode. I have found, however, that by making an actual electrical contact between the positive and negative electrodes and then separating the two while current is flowing, it will continue to flow under the influence of a moderate difference of potential, the negative resistance phenomenon to starting having lthus been eliminated.

I avail myself of the phenomenon of the Patented J une 10, 1913.

reluctance of the current to enter the negative electrode by extending the negative electrode of the -device to a point near the positive electrode and providing means for rst bringing l'the two electrodes into electrical contact and then causing a break or open space to be made between the two whereupon the current which is irst established at the junction is caused byA the phenomenon to pass through the vapor and immediately traversey the device, entering the negative electrode remote from the positive electrode. Many different means may be employed for securing the initial` contact between the electrodes and obtaining the break in the continuity thereof. v

Forpurposes of illustration I may select a device containingv mercury as the negative electrode, and I' may cause a rod of 'through practically the entire operating vvapor path. In electrical' contact with the remote end of this rod`,-I may bring the positive electrode (which may be of -iron or other suitable material), and I may arrange the parts so that one or the other of the two electrodes shall be movable, whereby it shall be made possible to bring the electrodes into contact or separate them at will, or I mayuse a bridging piece for the same purpose. In order" to render the operation ofthe movable velectrode automatic, it may be of iron or I may connect' with it a pieoe'ofmagnetic material, such as iron, and`I may cause this iron piece to be acted upon by a magnet or'solenoid outside the inclosingvessel of the apparatus or by roi tating' the device may cause gravity to act.

a shows o-ne form of device suited for the purpose of the invention; Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate modications; Figs. 4and are sections of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3 taken in the line P I).

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the inclosing tube or chamber of a gas or vapor device. The negative electrode, 5, may extend from one end of the device thro-ugh the greater portion of the length thereof, the end remote from thepositive electrode being surrounded in this instance by a small quantity of mercurcy, in case the vapor path of the device consists essentially of mercury vapor. The mercury assists also in protecting the portions of the glass surrounding the leading-in conductor, 8, which extends through the wall o-f the chamber. The mercury, moreover, is, during the operation of the device, volatilized to a greater or less extent and condensed within the chamber. This serves to dissipate the heat by reason of its volatilization.

In Fig. 2 I have illustrated a form of apparatus in which the extension of the negative electrode is completely cut out of circuit when the apparatus is in operation. In this instance, the conductor 5c extends through the entire length of the apparatus and may be regarded as part of the electrode. It is shown as being surrounded near its respective ends by two rings 2EL and 2b which when the apparatus is not in operation lie against the rod 5 being pivoted at 34 and connected by leading-in wires 8a and 8b. A small quantity of mercury may surround the base of each of these electrodes.

The operation of this device is as follows: When the circuit is closed therewith, current will pass through' the respective rings 2a and 2b, as well as the intermediate portion of the rod 5, and, the connections being such as to cause the currents to traverse the coils 16, surrounding the cores 12, the contact rings 2a and 2b acting'as armatures will be lifted from the wire, thus cutting the rod 5c out of circuit. The current will then traverse the gas path between the two elec` trodes, either of the rings 2a or 2b acting as positive, and the electrode 5b or 5al acting as the corresponding negative electrode, de` pending on which may the current is :flowing of the electrodes themselves.

place at the corresponding electrode subsequent to the separation at the other electrode. The rings 2a and 2b may be made of such size that the one acting as a positive electrode will become heated to a red heat by the flow of an excess of current, and thereupo-n it will cease to be held up by the corresponding magnet, and will therefore fall back to its position of contact thus substantially cutting the device out and preventing it from being injured; returning, however, toits position of no contactwhen cooled.

Instead of causing the separation of the electrodes by electro-magnetic means, it is possible to use other instrumentalities as, for instance, an arrangement such as shown in Fig. 3, which resembles the st-ructure shown in Fig. 2, but is so organized that by giving a slight rotation to the tube the positive electrode 2'al will be carried by gravity out of contact with the extension 5'3 of the negative electro-de.

In some cases it is desirable to heat the vapor within the apparatus, and I have i found that the extension of the negative electrode may be employed for that purpose by the initial current passing therethrough, or current from another source may be caused to traverse this extension raising its temperature tothe required degree and thus raising the temperature of the apparatus. This heating effect may be discontinued when the vapor has acquired the desired temperature. When the apparatus is in operation the heating current may be dis continued. of the devices to serve as a heater without interfering with the apparatus.

In Fig. 1, I have shown a separate source of current connected with the terminals of the rod 5 such source being represented at 41. a. suitable switch, 42, being connected in its circuit. The connections, however, may bc derived from the same source as the main current, as also indicated by the conductors 43 and 44, Fig. 2, in which case a circuitbreaker 45, may be included in the circuit leading to the apparatus and adapted to act only after such an interval as will afford the proper amount of heating to the apparatus.

The apparatus illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 is designed to produce a separation of the electrodes by a movement of the container in distinct-ion from a movement of one or both In these figures the movement may be caused by hand.

A wire may be run through any f a` radial one voood conducting material,

The present application is a division of my application Serial Number 52,488, filed March 23, 1901.

I claim as my invention 1. -A mercury vapor apparatus comprising an exhausted container supported in a horizontal position and an electrode at each end, one at least of which includes aring and an eye-bolt, and means, whereby a relative movement of the said ring and the other electrode will interrupt a metallic contact within the container.

2. A mercury vapor apparatus comprising a container for mercury, electrodes therein normally connected inside the container by and means Wherey a movement of the said container will initiate a flow of current throughjthe mercury vapor.

3. The combination of an exhausted envelop, electrodes therein, and means whereby movements of said container in opposite directions will alternately connect and dis` connect said electrodes to initiate a flow of current therethrough.

4. A vapor device comprising a movable container,l normally connected electrodes or contacts in said container and included in the main operating-circuit of the device, one of such electrodes being a conducting liquid, and means whereby a suitable movement of the container will make and break conductive connection bet-Ween the said electrodes.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York, and State of New York, this 28th day of April A. D. 1905.

PETER COOPER HEVITT.

Witnesses:

WM. H. CAPEL, GEORGE H. S'rocKBRiDGE. 

